Where to start with suspension upgrades

[Deleted member 12951]

Swap number 3 for upgraded Tie rods instead if you want to do something more than going with 3.0's up front. And I say that as I am doing UCA myself in a couple days. Lol

 

[The Car Stereo Company]

first off, you need to load it up with all kinds of stereo equipment, then you can get a final weight total and apply shocks and springs as necessary..........

 

[HAYNES OFFROAD]

I forgot about tie rods actually. I would put those on before the uca.

I stand firm on my opinion about the bump kit coming first. Strengthening the frame (through support) and transfering the bump forces away from the frame is a must. You can still get easily carried away with a completly stock suspension and hit stuff too hard. Ive done it myself, and a bump kit has definitly saved me and many others from damage.

 

[Deleted member 12951]

You can pretty much look at any vendor and the "staging" kits to give you an idea on what order. Typically it is always;
1. Bump Stop
2. Rear Leaf Springs
3. 3.0's rear shocks / coilover
4. Tie rods
5. Wheels (causes now moving forward most likely won't work on stock)
5. UCA
6. Knuckle
7. LCA
8. Secondary Shock
Etc, etc..

 

[Drunktank]

Thanks for the great input guys!

Riddle me this... isnt the UCA upgrade required to swap out the front coilover because the new coilovers (fox/king/icon/whatever) are just bigger/beefier and wont fit within the stock UCA?

BTW.... I fully intend to stick with 35's at this point. I park in waaaaay too many parking garages!

 

[RLTW]

False

 

[HAYNES OFFROAD]

Riddle me this... isnt the UCA upgrade required to swap out the front coilover because the new coilovers (fox/king/icon/whatever) are just bigger/beefier and wont fit within the stock UCA?

No. OEM uca is ok for fitment of 3.0s

 

[SVTBuckeye]

My primary focus has been on protection before I get to spendy performance upgrades. The order I've done so far:

1- mid-perch - free (DIY if you're inclined) and easy if you're keeping stock shocks
2- bump stop kit
3- leaf springs - had to get rid of the wheel hop
4- gussetted steering knuckles - weak spot and bad things can happen if you break one of these in the middle of nowhere - did this before the Baja trip
5- abs/vacuum guards - cheap and quick install

 

[Drunktank]

No. OEM uca is ok for fitment of 3.0s

Sooooo riddle me this... if the stock UCA fits new coils? Whats the point of swapping it out? Wouldnt you need to swap out the LCA at the same time to see any real benifit? Or is the UCA the limiting factor on down travel and the LCA still has a bit more travel left in it?

 

[HAYNES OFFROAD]

Sooooo riddle me this... if the stock UCA fits new coils? Whats the point of swapping it out? Wouldnt you need to swap out the LCA at the same time to see any real benifit? Or is the UCA the limiting factor on down travel and the LCA still has a bit more travel left in it?

Strengh is greatly improved over stock, not only the UCA itself, but also the factory joints as well. The ability to correct camber and caster when running above bottom perch, and aftermarket shocks. And also smoother and bind free movement through the entire suspension travel, which in turn will not bind on full bump or full droop, which is a limiting factor in the stock design, which is why you can gain a very slight increase in travel (usually droop).

The stock LCA is actually not bad and is actually the best part about the stock suspension. You dont really hear about people breaking those much at all (im sure theres a couple cases, but they are few and far between). Im not saying that a aftermatket one isnt better, but the stocker is actually quite adequite for most people.